Last weekend, on the 27th anniversary of the election of Pope John Paul II, the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington unveiled its newest exhibit, Papi in Posa — nearly 75 paintings and sculptures of popes since the 1500s.

"No one understood better than John Paul II the continuity of the lineage of the popes," said Penelope Fletcher, director of the Cultural Center museums. "At the time it was first exhibited in Rome, he had already begun to ponder when another portrait would hang on the walls in the Vatican."

The show has had only one other exhibition, in the Palazzo Braschi in Rome from November 2004 to February 2005. But according to Dr. Francesco Petrucci, curator of the exhibit and director of the Palazzo Chigi in Arricia, the exhibit at the John Paul II Center is more extensive and contains more works which previously were unavailable to the public in private collections.

The largest exhibit of its kind, Papi in Posa has brought together portraits by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Louis Cousin, Arnolfo di Cambio and Giacomo Manzu from many museums and collections including the Vatican museums, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Galleria Spada of Roma and the Palazzo Chigi of Arriccia.

This exhibit offers a rare chance to view icons of five centuries of popes in one location. It provides not only the opportunity learn more about each of these men who served as vicars of Christ, but also about the artists and forms of art used to capture the image of the Holy Fathers.

Through images that are sometimes classical, sometimes eerily realistic and sometimes almost abstract, Papi in Posa provides a "good opportunity for all aspects of interest in the iconography of popes," Petrucci said.

"Every image has a deep countenance (in the faces of the popes and the symbolism used in the artworks) and follows the evolution of portraiture from the Renaissance to now," he said.

While there is usually only one "official" portrait of a pope, this exhibit offers sometimes two or three images of the same man. While many of the works are prototypes, there are some replicas — duplicate paintings made by the original artist — as well as copies made by other artists.

The exhibit features several works by Natalia Tsarkova, who is said to be the only living official papal portraitist. Her works at the exhibit include a posthumous portrait of John Paul I, a portrait of John Paul II commissioned by Detroit Cardinal Adam Maida for the opening of the John Paul II Center in 2001, and four sketches of the late pope lying in state after his death.

"This is not only an exhibit about papal portraits, but behind each portrait is the history of the papacy," Tsarkova said. "I am very proud to show my paintings and drawings here at the Cultural Center with such important artists as Bernini."

This exhibit, like all exhibits on display at the John Paul II Center aims to "tell a story of faith, and tell that store through great art," Fletcher said.

One pope noticeably missing from this exhibit is the current Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

There is not yet an official portrait of the pope because, "a man must grow into what he will become as pope," Fletcher said.

Papi in Posa will be on display at the cultural center through March 31, 2006.

The center is open on Tues. through Sat. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For group information call 202/635-5475. For more information call 202/635-5400.